


Road to Recovery

by PsychoLolita



Category: Rick and Morty
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Coffee Shops, Depressing, Depression, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Happy Ending, Help, In Public, Male-Female Friendship, Minor Violence, Recovery, References to Depression, Sad, Sad with a Happy Ending, Sort Of, Sweet, Unhealthy Relationships, Verbal Abuse, light fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-03 04:37:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16319303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PsychoLolita/pseuds/PsychoLolita
Summary: The man you once loved finally shows his true colors to a wonderful friend, Zeta-7. He won't stand for it, but he will stand for you.





	Road to Recovery

**Author's Note:**

> _Prompt: Can we have one where reader is dating someone who isn’t very nice to her and Zeta-7 stands up for her and takes her out of it? fluff please_
> 
> I know this is a super angsty, sad fic and there isn’t much fluff in a romantic sense, but I didn’t want it to seem like Zeta-7 was taking advantage of a shitty situation because we all know our little doof would never.   
> Tbh it was kind of hard even for me to write some of this. You’re all perfect, and Zeta-7 is 634 percent correct.

_“You’re so fucking stupid. I can’t believe you would even like something like that.”_

_“Who taught you how to cook? This shit’s garbage.”_

_“I wish you’d actually pay attention to what I’m telling you, maybe then you’d be a little smarter.”_

_“When did you get so boring?”_

_“That new dress would look better if you just left it on the hanger.”_

_“Shut up already.”_

I was a pro at taking insults at this point. It was nothing new to be put down anymore. When it first started, it stung. It stung so much that I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to cope with it. Once the verbal punches started rolling though, I grew used to it. It didn’t hurt as bad anymore. He had to be right; he loved me after all, didn’t he? I woke up this morning, and to my relief, he wasn’t home. A smile crossed my face as I got out of bed and decided to try something new. Maybe he’d go for it, maybe it would finally let him see that I really was trying. My mood was particularly light as ran through my morning routine. I bothered to thoroughly style my hair and even sweep on a little makeup. I changed into a sundress he loved on me when we’d first met and a pair of delicate ballet flats. A once-over in the mirror had me feeling all kinds of thrilled as I smiled at myself. The girl I knew years ago was back. He just had to see that too, I was sure of it.

-x-x-x-

I made my way into the coffee shop I knew he visited during his lunch hour, which was coming up shortly. As I grabbed my finished order from the counter and made my way to a table, I ran into an old friend who’d I’d been very close with before I began dating my boyfriend.

“(Y/n!)” I heard the warm, familiar voice call out from a table just outside of the open doors.

My eyes scanned the entire room before falling on him outside.

“Oh!” I started, making my way past the doors. “Rick! How’ve you been?”

I was bubbling with happiness. Not only did I have a good feeling, I was lucky enough to run into a wonderful friend.

“I-I’ve been good! Come sit down with me,” he offered, and I accepted. I still had a few minutes before my boyfriends arrival.

“How have you been, (y/n)? It’s been so long, l-like you’ve disappeared or something!”

“I, just.. life has been so busy,” I lied.

Of course I didn’t want to tell him that I’d landed myself in a less than desirable predicament. I didn’t bring my boyfriend around anyone I didn’t have to. He treated me the same way no matter where we were, I simply didn’t want them to know. Some days, it was hard for me to will myself out of bed in the mornings, let alone spend time with friends or family.

“I see,” he said, something in his expression telling me he didn’t believe me.

Still, he stayed quiet on the matter.

“Y-you look beautiful,” he complimented with the smile I remembered so well.

The words alone felt like a sweet summer drizzle on a hot, dry day. It had been so long since someone had complimented me, I wasn’t sure how to react.

“I.. well, thank you!” I smiled, biting my lip. I was half afraid that he would take it back.

“Thank _you_! Your personality h-has always accentuated your beauty,” he added. “I’ve always appreciated your good heart.”

I wanted to cry as my heart swelled with an elation I’d been so long without. I never went out any more, and when I did, it was to the grocery store in torn sweats and unkempt hair. There were no compliments to be had outside or at home. I felt overwhelmed and overjoyed all at once.

“Oh, Rick, than-“

“What are you doing here?” The voice that sent my mood smattering in a million tiny pieces across the floor ringing in my ears.

“Nothing.”

I said so quietly I wasn’t sure I could even hear myself. My entire body tensed up in my seat. The last thing I wanted was to add more fuel to the scene he was about to cause. I quickly came to the conclusion he didn’t notice my attempt at trying for him.

“I asked you a question,” he said louder, grabbing onto my shoulder and turning me roughly against the chair I was seated in.

I gasped, his gruffness taking me by surprise. It was the first time anyone had ever touched me in such a manner.

“And what the hell are you wearing? You thought makeup and a dress could fix _that_?”

“That’s enough!” Zeta-7 said, standing up from his chair in such haste that it surprised us both.

“Who the fuck are you?” He asked Rick, releasing his grip on my shoulder.

The two faced each other, squaring each other up as though they were two animals in the wild about to scuffle in a turf war.

“If you say one more thing to hurt her, I’ll- I’ll…!” Rick seethed, his hands clenching into fists at his side.

“You’ll nerd me to death?” He sarcastically retorted, making no sense but still being entirely rude.

I’d never seen my friend so upset. There was a deep stabbing feeling in my chest to see someone as tenderhearted as him so worked up over my small plight.

“I’d known (y/n) years before you came along, a-and even though you’ve tried to break her, s-she’s the sweetest person I know. She has a smile that could light up the entire universe, and her laugh.. It could be turned into a song,” I saw his eyes narrow as his next words seemed like they were sharp enough to cut ice. “I bet you don’t even remember, do you?”

“Rick, it’s okay,” I started, standing from my chair to attempt at breaking them up before things got out of hand.

“Sit down,” was all I heard before I was being shoved back into my chair and Rick was falling back onto the pavement beneath the surrounding tables.

I started to recollect myself as I desperately tried to grasp what was happening. Baristas came running from behind the counter, one with a cellphone in hand, I assumed to call the police. When I lunged down to help Rick, I took his free hand as he rubbed his eye with the heel of his other hand.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered over and over, unable to express any emotion properly.

Not only had one of my closest friends from before my rocky relationship started been hurt, but everyone got to witness it. My heart was breaking, and I suddenly wasn’t sure how I felt as I watched people holding my boyfriend back. The slimy smirk on his face was disgusting to me; he was clearly pleased with himself for his sickening deed. Rick stood up tall against my boyfriend again, a glare in his eye that I’d never seen before despite the shiner he’d just taken.

“You can hurt me all you want. But I refuse to let you hurt her any more. I-i-if I knew how bad this was, I would’ve stepped in a lot sooner. I-i would lay down in the road for this girl. She deserves s-so much better than you,” Rick stated, his voice full of emotion before turning back to me.

“Are you okay? I-I hope he didn’t hurt you,” Rick said, gingerly touching my shoulder.

“I’m okay,” I lied without meaning to.

I wasn’t okay, not in the least. My worst nightmare had unfolded right before my eyes, and the sweetest person I knew took the brunt of it. I grabbed the ice pack from a barista who’d been so kind to bring it for Rick, tenderly placing it against his temple and eye.

“I’m so sorry,” I voiced again. “I shouldn’t have come.”

He wrapped me up in a hug, petting my hair gently. Rick saw right through me, just as he always had; my confliction and pain, my nervousness and anxiety.

When the police arrived, they asked us some questions, and took the man I thought I loved out of my life for the time being. As Zeta-7 walked me to my car, I quickly realized how little I truly had. Sure, I could’ve gone home, but my surroundings would only swallow me in toxicity without his even being there. At the moment, I didn’t want to be alone. I didn’t want to go home. I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to go home, anymore. This seemed to be my only way out.

“Hey, Rick?” I lilted quietly once we got to my car. “I hate to ask.. I really do, but-“

“Yes,” Rick assured me, already knowing what I was going to ask as he held the ice pack to his eye. “I-I’d love to have you as long as you need to stay.”

A small sigh of relief escaped me. For once, it felt as though the storm clouds had parted, allowing me to see the sunshine.

“Thank you,” I said, a faint grin on my features.

After a beat, I asked another question. My voice was hushed and a bit tense, but I had to know.

“Did you mean all of that? What you said?”

“O-of course I did, (y/n)!” He beamed at me. “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. You’re- you’re beautiful inside and out. I’m only sorry I didn’t see this sooner… I-I just thought you’d forgotten about me.”

His soft, sullen tone caught me off guard. I immediately felt guilty.

“I could never forget about you, Rick. I was just… well, you saw,” I said, embarrassed at the entire situation; embarrassed at myself. “You mean so much to me. I didn’t mean to hurt you..”

Rick pulled me into a tight hug, rubbing my back comfortingly.

“I know that. I just also know that, i-it’s easy for people to overlook someone like me,” he replied.

I squeezed his frame, releasing him with a frown.

“I’ll be here for you just as much as you’re here for me.”

“I’ll always be here for you, (y/n),” he grinned again.

I admired his ability to smile in even the solemn and harsh situations that life dealt. It was infectious as I found myself returning his grin.

“We can walk the road to recovery together,” I smiled, squeezing his arm gently.

“I’d like that,” he nodded.


End file.
